A large variety of physical markers have been proposed for the purpose of being distributed on a playing field or running track or the like in an effort to create visual cues, boundaries or markers, with the intention to provide fixed frames of reference for a multitude of athletic training and playing modalities. In the simplest form, these markers might indicate the corners of a playing field, or may comprise a timing gate configured to detect a time at which an athlete passes the gate or marker. In a more complex arrangement they might indicate a predefined pattern through which a player might move. Some proposals require the athlete to wear a receiver, or suitably reflective clothing, however these requirements are detrimental as in most training environments it is preferred to replicate playing conditions as closely as possible. Moreover, specialised equipment or clothing to be carried by the athlete also increases the cost of the training system.
Global positioning systems can be used to track athlete movements over distances of the order of tens of meters or more, but do not provide sufficient spatial resolution for studying smaller scale athlete movements such as acceleration off a start or changes of direction. Nor does GPS permit indoor operation.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
In this specification, a statement that an element may be “at least one of” a list of options is to be understood that the element may be any one of the listed options, or may be any combination of two or more of the listed options.